House Lothston of Harrenhal is an extinct house from Harrenhal in the riverlands. Their arms were a black bat on a field divided bendwise, silver and gold.[1][2] They held Harrenhal until three or four generations before A Song of Ice and Fire and were a powerful house which once loomed large in the histories of the Seven Kingdoms.[3]

Lord Lucas was briefly Hand of the King for King Aegon IV Targaryen in 178 AC. Jeyne Lothston, the daughter of Lucas and Falena, became the eighth of Aegon's mistresses, but she was sent away from court when she caught the pox from the king. Lucas was sent away as well, having been removed as Hand.[5]

The downfall of House Lothston came when Danelle turned to the black arts, causing chaos.[6] The last Lothston was killed with the help of an ancestor of Ser Illifer the Penniless in unknown circumstances.[2] After the line ended during the reign of King Maekar I Targaryen, the lordship of Harrenhal was given to House Whent, knights who had first served the Lothstons but then helped to defeat the mad family.[6]Ben Blackthumb worked as a boy for Lord Lothston and later for the grandfather and father of Lady Shella Whent.[11]

A Feast for Crows

At the start of her quest Brienne uses the heavy oaken shield bearing the black bat of Lothston that Jaime gave to her. When she gets to Duskendale a captain at the gate tells her that the black bat arms are of ill repute. Brienne has it re-painted by the captain's sister, who is not pleased to see the black bat either, as she is reminded of her mother's frightening tale about Mad Danelle.[11]

Lord Petyr Baelish uses the extinction of House Lothston as an example of the fate of those who claim to own Harrenhal.[13]

A Dance with Dragons

Jon Lothston serves with the Golden Company in Essos. He may or not be genuinely of House Lothston, as in the free companies a man can call himself whatever he chooses.[3]

References and Notes

↑Lucas Lothston (father of Manfryd) has not yet been identified to have been the same person as Lucas Lothston (husband of Falena), the first Lord Lothston. The reputation of Falena, his wife, and Jeyne, his daughter, would fit, however, with the nickname Lucas Lothston (father of Manfryd) has: the Pander.